Mouthpiece for musical instruments



June 17, 1941. ROBlNSON 2,246,266

MOUTHPIECE FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS Filed July 5, 1940 INVENTOR HANJON Robmsom Patented June 17, 1941 UNITED STATES iATE'i' FFIQE MOUTIIPIECE FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS Hanson Robinson, Wayne, Pa.

Application July 5, 1940, Serial No. 344,055

6' Claims.

The object of the invention is to provide improvements in mouthpieces generally, but especially in mouthpieces such as are used in whistles and similar musical and noisev producing ins'truments.

Another object is to provide a mouthpiece construction, which is an improvement over that shown in application, Serial No. 824,587, filed July 15, 3.939, which has matured into Patent No. 2,204,701, granted June 18, 1940, said improvement principally involving the telescopic relationship that the rubber tube bears to the adjacent end portion of the whistle tube, as said first tube enters and is protected at its lower end by said last-mentioned tube.

Another object is to provide a mouthpiece of such construction that it can be formed of plastic material such as yieldable rubber, in which case a central partition is provided for the purpose of preventing the collapse of the otherwise relatively flexible opposite sides of the air channel.

A further object is to provide a mouthpiece, either of resilient or elastic material such as rubber, orof relatively rigidplastic material such as Bakelite and similar synthetic resins: and the like, the mouthpiece in such cases being provided with an annular ridge or beading, having spaced gaps through which extend ears carried by the adjacent end of the whistle or similar tube, said beading operating to limit the extent to which said mouthpiece enters such tube, while the sides of said gaps cooperate withsaid ears to prevent relative turning of the mouthpiece and the supporting tube, and the said ears by being deflected into the body of the mouthpiece, especially in the case of rubber, or deflected over a portion of the beading of a rigid mouthpiece, operate to prevent the accidental separation of the mouthpiece from its supportingtube.

With the objects thus briefly set forth, the invention comprises further details of construction and operation, which are hereinafter fully brought out in the following description, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a whistle of variable tone, representing any desired type of musical instrument to which the improved mouthpiece is. adapted to be attached; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same, with the mouthpiece and adjacent portion of the instrument shown in central diametrical section; Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of the upper portion of the device in the position shown in Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a vertical section on the line l4 of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a side elevational view of a modified form of one-piece mouthpiece formed preferably of rubber or similar resilient-elastic material, or of a synthetic resin, such as Bakelite, or other relatively rigid material; Fig. 6 is a. vertical central sectional view through the device shown in Fig. 5; Fig. 7 is a front elevational View of the same; Fig. 8 is a horizontal section on the line 8-4! of Fig. 7; Fig. 8 is a bottom plan view of the same; and Fig. 10 is an end elevational view of the mouth-engageable portion of said mouthpiece.

Referring to Figs. 1 to at inclusive of the drawing, a whistle, as representative of various types of musical instruments to which the improved mouthpiece can be applied, is shown as comprising a tubular member I, the lower end of which is closed by a cap 2, while'through said cap extends a longitudinally adjustable, manually engageable member 3, the parts I, 2 and 3' being similar to the equivalent part-s shown in said application, Serial No. 284,587. The upper end of the tube I is provided with a cut-outportion 4 to provide a sound-producing edge 5, this cut-out portion being spacedirom the top of said tube, which latter is provided, preferably forwardly, with an upwardly and preferably diagonally outwardly extending ear 6 having an aperture 1, while the laterally opposite edge portions of said tube are provided with initially parallel ears 8, for a purpose hereinafter described.

The mouthpiece per se comprises a channeled metallic member 9, initially open at its forward side Ill, throughout its upper portion and its lower portion comprising a cylindrical section I I, beneath which said mouthpiece is cut away at I2 and normally abuts against a plug i3 within the tube I, said plug being cut away at its forward portion I4 to provide a passageway for air that it directs towards the sound-producing edge 5. Surrounding the upper portion 9-49 of said mouthpiece and extending'also downwardly and around the cylindrical portion H is an elastic rubber tube I5, which closes the otherwise open side ll) of said mouthpiece to provide a lip and tooth engageable portion against which a child, for instance, can bite without harming its teeth as it is engaged in bicycle riding, or other forms of play and recreation. The construction of the device, as shown in Figs. 1 to e, differs from that in said application in that the lower end portion of the rubber tube I5 also extends telescopically into the adjacent upper end of the tube I, so that the resulting construction is heater and also forms a better protection for the lower end of said rubber tube. It will be noted that the upper portion of said mouthpiece is angularly deflected with respect to the longitudinal axis of the tube I, so that when the former is held in ones mouth, the latter depends therefrom, instead of projecting outwardly from ones mouth, as would be the case were there no such angular relationship as that illustrated. After assembling the parts of the device, as shown in the drawing, the ears 8 are bent inwardly so as to bite into the rubber tube and thereby prevent both the rubber tube and the metallic mouthpiece member which it surrounds from becoming accidentally dislodged from within and free from operative engagement with the tube l. The apertured lug 6 may be employed as a means for attaching the whistle or other instrument to a string, or the like, which may then surround the neck of the user.

Referring to Figs. 5 to 10, inclusive, it is to be understood that the one-piece mouthpiece here shown may be formed of relatively soft rubber, or instead, may be formed of unyielding Bakelite or similar synthetic resin, or equivalent material. Primarily, this form of the device comprises an ovalshaped lip-engageable portion l6, having a pair of parallel channels I! separated by a reinforcing partition I8, which is necessary especially in the case of elastic rubber, to prevent the lip-engageable portion from collapsing when bitten by ones teeth in holding the mouthpiece and depending whistle or the like in operative position. Said lip-engageable portion is preferably angularly disposed with relation to the depending lower cylindrical portion 19, which lat ter portion terminates downwardly in a transversely extending wall 20, a segment of which is cut away at 2| so that said wall as an integral portion of said mouthpiece takes the place of the separate plug l3 of the device shown inFig. 1. This improved type of mouthpiece is also provided with an integral beading 22, which surrounds said mouthpiece substantially at the junction between the lip-engageable portion l6 and the depending portion I9. This beading is preferably eliminated throughout a definite angular distance at 23, to permit the passage of the lug 6 of the tube I, when this type of mouthpiece is substituted for the type shown in Figs. 1 to 4. The diametrically positioned, laterally opposite sides of said beading are provided preferably with pairs of spaced lugs 24, which extend substantially radially outwardly and between which in practice the ears 8 extend, before they are bent inwardly around the upper surface of said beading at the points indicated by 25 in Figs. 5 and 8. With this construction, as in the form of the device first described, the pair of ears carried by the tube I (or either one of said ears in the absence of the other) operate to eiiectively prevent'angular rotation or longitudinal shifting of the improved mouthpiece with respect to its supporting tube.

While fairly definite constructions are herein described and illustrated, it is to be understood that minor variations in the shape and construction of the several parts may be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a tubular musical instrument of the wind variety, the combination of a tube having an initially upwardly extending ear, with a mouthpiece comprising elastic material and extending into the otherwise open end of said tube, said ear being bent inwardly so as to engage within the material of said mouthpiece to prevent its separation from or turning with respect to said tube.

2. In a tubular musical instrument of the wind variety, the combination of a tube, a mouthpiece extending into said tube, a rubber tube surrounding said mouthpiece and also extending into said tube between the walls of said mouthpiece and said first tube, said mouthpiece being angularly directed with respect to said tube.

3. A sound-making instrument of the wind variety, comprising a tube, a tubular mouthpiece consisting of two angularly related portions, and an elastic tube surrounding said mouthpiece end together with one of the portions of said mouthpiece extending telescopically into said first tube.

4. A sound-making instrument of the wind variety, comprising a tube, a tubular mouthpiece consisting of two angularly related portions, and

an elastic tube surrounding said mouthpiece end together with one of the portions of said mouthpiece extending telescopically into said first tube, that portion of said mouthpiece extending into said first tube having a constriction operative to increase the velocity of air passing from said mouthpiece towards sound-making means carried by said first tube.

5. A sound-making instrument of the wind variety, comprising a tube, a tubular mouthpiece consisting of two angularly related portions, an elastic tube surrounding said mouthpiece end together with one of the portions of said mouthpiece extending telescopically into said first tube, that portion of said mouthpiece extending into said first tube having a constriction operative to increase the velocity of air passing from said mouthpiece towards sound-making means carried by said first tube, and adjustably positioning means within said first tube to vary the sound produced by said sound-producing means.

6. A sound-making instrument of the wind variety, comprising a tube, a tubular mouthpiece consisting of two angularly related portions, an elastic tube surrounding said mouthpiece end to: gether with one of the portions of said mouthpiece extending telescopically into said first tube, that portion of said mouthpiece extending into said first tube having a constriction operative to increase the velocity of air passing from, said mouthpiece towards sound-making means carried by said first tube, and a manually adjustable spring-positioned plunger within said first tube to vary the sound produced by said sound-producing means.

HANSON ROBINSON. 

